SEC REPORT: Analysts rank Tide, Hogs high.

FAYETTEVILLE — SEC champion Alabama and second-place Arkansas would receive top 4 seeds for the NCAA Tournament if it were to start today, according to most bracket projections.

The Crimson Tide, who open SEC Tournament play on Friday against the winner of the Kentucky vs. Mississippi State game, have made a continual rise up the projections while going 16-2 in SEC play after a 5-4 nonconference run.

Jerry Palm of CBSSports.com has Alabama as a 2 seed with a first-round NCAA matchup against Bryant. ESPN.com’s Joe Lunardi listed the Crimson Tide as his top 2 seed on Sunday, ahead of Iowa, Ohio State and Houston on the same line.

The Razorbacks were an NCAA Tournament bubble team by most projections in early January after back-to-bout routs at LSU and Alabama. However, the Hogs have not lost in league play since that 90-59 setback in Tuscaloosa, Ala., and enter the conference tourney riding an 11-game SEC winning streak.

Arkansas will open the SEC tournament against the winner of the 7 seed-10 seed game between Missouri and Georgia.

Palm’s current projection for Arkansas is a No. 3 seed with a matchup against Southern Utah. Lunardi had the Razorbacks as his top 3 seed on Sunday, with West Virginia, Villanova and Texas trailing the Hogs on the 3 line. He has Arkansas paired against Morehead State in a first-round NCAA game.

If the analysts are to be believed, six SEC teams — Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, LSU, Missouri and Tennessee — are cinches to make the NCAA Tournament.

Palm’s other SEC teams in the NCAA field are 5 seed Tennessee, 6 seed Missouri, and 7 seeds Florida and LSU. He also has Ole Miss back up to “first four out” status with the Rebels winning three of their last four games. Palm’s calculations reflect a stronger position for SEC teams than Lunardi’s numbers.

Lunardi’s other SEC projections are 6 seed Tennessee, 8 seed LSU and 9 seeds Florida and Missouri. He has Ole Miss listed among his “next four out.”